Wednesday, 6 February 2013

Journey To the Centre of the Earth

This is a book I read some time ago in september. I decided to do a book review because it is NOTHING at all like the 2008 movie. If you haven't read it yet, it is a MUST READ. The intrepid Professor Liedenbrock embarks upon the strangest expedition of the nineteenth century: a journey down an extinct Icelandic volcano to the Earth's very core. In his quest to penetrate the planet's primordial secrets, the geologist--together with his terrified nephew Axel and their committed guide, Hans - discovers an astonishing subterranean menagerie of prehistoric proportions. It is a stunning tale of the impossible. Jules Verene has a great imagination, especially because he live so long ago. Back then they didn't have all of the technology we have now, and to imagine something so impossible at that time is amazing. Verne's imaginative tale is at once the ultimate science fiction adventure and a reflection on the perfectibility of human understanding and the psychology of the adventurer.I gave this classic a 5/5 because it is so realistically impossible, the art of it is so adventurous. If you have seen the movie, and liked it, I suggest you check out the original version. Or if you haven't read or watched A Journey to the Centre of the Earth, start with the book. It's very interesting when you compare them.Here are some of the differences:The guide is not a womanThere is not as much romance involved in the book than in the filmShawn is called Axel in the bookProfessor Trevor is Professor Leidenbrock in the bookThere's no modern slang in the bookIn the book Axel becomes unconscious when he hits his head on a rock- in the movie he never gets severely unconscious although there is one part during the storm....Ok, enough of that. So, as I was saying, it is a must read. If you don't like classics, try it out anyways. If it doesn't work out, then read the simplified, modern version (be warned, the classic is SO much better), and if THAT doesn't work out, read the comic. And if that doesn't work, WATCH THE MOVIE, like it, and be unhappy that you didn't read it first.